Greg Fockler and Shane Mytro, professional sales majors in the Edward H. Schmidt School of Professional Sales in the UT College of Business and Innovation, claimed fourth place in the Seventh Annual Russ Berrie Institute National Sales Challenge.
The competition, which took place Nov. 13-15 at William Paterson University in Wayne, N.J., had more than 70 students participating from across the country.
“This fourth-place finish at the national sales challenge is the latest validation of the success of the Schmidt School of Professional Sales as one of the top professional selling programs in the world,” said Dr. Ellen Pullins, UT professor of marketing and director of the school. “It is especially evident when combined with the recent achievements by Edward Schmidt School of Professional Sales students at other major competitions, such as students’ tremendous showing earlier in November at the Pi Sigma Epsilon North Central Regional Conference, which UT hosted, and our second-place team finish in October at the National Team Selling Competition.”
At the Russ Berrie Institute National Sales Challenge, sales students utilized classroom knowledge and application of selling skills in relevant, realistic business role-plays, selling ADP products, and in a speed sell, selling themselves for a job.
Business judges awarded individual honors for each event and overall performance, and team awards for performance across competitions. Students also were exposed to sales job opportunities.
UT hosted the Pi Sigma Epsilon North Central Regional Conference, attended by about 150 students. The conference included networking with business professionals, a full day of seminars, and the Pi Sigma Epsilon Pro-Am Sell-a-Thon. At that event, UT students claimed the top six finishes in the individual competition: Manuel Vazquez took first place in the Pro-Am Sell-a-Thon, with Melissa Velasquez in second place, Dominique Jones and Joshua White tied for third place, and Anthony Maulorico and Matthew Wells came in fourth place. In addition, Melanie Munoz won second place in the speaker competition during the conference.
At the National Team Selling Competition held at Indiana University in October, UT’s team of John Doncaster, Allie Gligor, Brad Mossing and Matt Wells won second place, finishing ahead of teams from Indiana University, Michigan State University, the University of Cincinnati, Purdue University, the University of Missouri, the University of Kansas, the University of Washington and the University of Florida.
“In addition to congratulating our students on these prestigious honors, I want to thank the Edward Schmidt School of Professional Sales faculty for their commitment of time and talent in coaching these students,” Pullins said.
For more information about the Edward H. Schmidt School of Professional Sales, click here.
